Clone Robotics, a Polish-American company, has recently unveiled its groundbreaking humanoid robot, Protoclone, sparking both fascination and unease across the internet. This eerily lifelike android represents a significant advancement in biomimetic robotics, closely replicating human anatomy and movement in ways never before seen.

With its unsettlingly realistic movements, Protoclone is pushing the boundaries of what we expect from robots, raising both intrigue and questions about the future of robotics.

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The anatomy of this robot

Protoclone stands at an impressive 6 feet tall and boasts a skeleton made of 206 polymer bones, mirroring the human skeletal structure. What truly sets this robot apart is its muscular system, featuring over 1,000 artificial muscles powered by Clone Robotics’ proprietary “Myofiber” technology.

Protoclone (Clone Robotics) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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The muscle behind the machine

The Myofiber system is a revolutionary approach to robotic movement. Each artificial muscle consists of a mesh tube containing an air-filled balloon. When hydraulic fluid is pumped into the balloon, it expands, causing the mesh to contract, much like a human muscle. This system is powered by a 500-watt electric pump, Protoclone’s mechanical “heart,” capable of circulating fluid at a rate of 40 liters per minute.

Protoclone (Clone Robotics) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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Sensory sophistication

Protoclone’s nervous system is equally impressive, featuring four depth cameras in the skull for vision, 70 inertial sensors for joint position awareness and 320 pressure sensors for force feedback. This advanced sensory network allows the robot to process visual input and learn by observing human activities.

Protoclone (Clone Robotics) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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A glimpse into the future or a sci-fi nightmare?

The recent video release of Protoclone in action has garnered millions of views and sparked intense online debate. In the footage, the faceless android is seen suspended from the ceiling, its limbs twitching and moving in an unsettlingly human-like manner.

While some viewers have expressed awe at the technological achievement, others have reacted with discomfort or even hostility. Comments range from comparisons to “sleep paralysis demons” to references to dystopian science fiction scenarios.

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Protoclone (Clone Robotics) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

The road ahead

Despite its impressive capabilities, Protoclone is still in early development. Currently, it requires suspension for stability and lacks the ability to stand or balance independently. Clone Robotics plans to launch production with 279 units, named “Clone Alpha,” with pre-orders opening in late 2025.

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Protoclone (Clone Robotics) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Kurt’s key takeaways

While Protoclone’s current iteration may be more unsettling than practical, it’s clear that we’re on the cusp of a new era in robotics. As these technologies continue to advance, we’ll likely see more refined and capable humanoid robots entering our homes and workplaces. The question remains: Are we ready for this future, and how will it reshape our relationship with technology?

Does the appearance and movement of Protoclone fascinate or unsettle you? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

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TikTok is rolling out a new feature to encourage teens to stop using the app at night. If a teen under 16 is still using the app after 10PM, TikTok will interrupt their feed with a full-screen “wind down” reminder, which will play “calming music to help teens relax and be mindful of the time.”

It will display another reminder that’s harder to dismiss if teens ignore the first one. TikTok plans on expanding this wind-down feature in the future, as it’s going to start testing incorporating medication exercises into the reminder “in the coming weeks.”

TikTok is making some updates to its Family Pairing feature as well, which already lets parents put restrictions on their child’s account. It’s launching a new Time Away feature that will allow parents or caregivers to prevent their child from going on TikTok during specific times, as well as set a recurring schedule. TikTok will also give parents the ability to see who their teen is following, who follows them, and which accounts their child has blocked.

Additionally, TikTok says it will continue to use age assurance technology, including machine learning, to prevent children under 13 from using the app. It’s partnering with the telecom company Telefonica “to understand how people can use age information from their phone provider to confirm their age.” Google also recently announced that it would start using machine learning to estimate users’ ages.

The launch of these new features comes as lawmakers continue to home in on online child safety. Earlier this month, Utah became the first state to pass a law to require app store operators, like Google and Apple, to verify users’ ages when downloading an app. Other state laws have emerged that would block children from accessing social media, but many of them have been blocked by courts.

SpyLoan apps are everywhere and yet people keep falling for them. They promise easy loans with flexible repayment, but what they actually do is steal your personal data, including contacts, sensitive images and files. The moment you take a loan, they start blackmailing you using your own data against you.

Some of these apps do not even bother giving loans. They just grab your data and start the harassment. One such app has been making the rounds on the Play Store, racking up more than 100,000 downloads and putting thousands of Android users at risk of blackmail and extortion.

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How SpyLend malware spreads and leads to scams and extortion

SpyLend spread by posing as a credible financial management tool, “Finance Simplified,” on the Google Play Store, as reported by BleepingComputer. It attracted financially vulnerable individuals by offering fast loans with minimal documentation.

The app surged from 50,000 to 100,000 downloads in a single week despite red flags in user reviews about harassment and blackmail.

Once downloaded, the app requested excessive permissions far beyond what a typical financial app would need, including access to contacts, SMS messages, call logs, photos and location data. This allowed the malware to silently collect personal information from users’ devices.

The stolen data fueled a vicious cycle of scams and extortion. SpyLoan apps like SpyLend lure users with attractive loan terms, only to exploit their data for predatory lending practices. If users fail to meet repayment demands, the operators weaponize their information by harassing them, blackmailing them with threats of leaking private photos or contacting their friends and family, and creating a climate of fear and coercion.

In some cases, the extortion escalated to public shaming or even deepfake creation using stolen images, amplifying the psychological and financial toll on victims.

We reached out about this incident, and a Google spokesperson told us, “The app has been removed from Google Play. Android users are automatically protected against known versions of this malware by Google Play Protect, which is on by default on Android devices with Google Play Services. Google Play Protect can warn users or block apps known to exhibit malicious behavior, even when those apps come from sources outside of Play.” 

However, it is important to note that Google Play Protect may not be enough. Historically, it isn’t 100% foolproof at removing all emerging malware from Android devices.

Malicious app on Google Play (BleepingComputer) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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Sensitive data stolen by the app

SpyLend is a serious threat because it steals a huge amount of personal information. It digs into contact lists and call histories, reads text messages, including banking alerts, and grabs photos and videos from storage.

It also collects device details like the model and OS version, tracks location in real time every three seconds, records past locations and IP addresses, and it even saves the last 20 copied texts from the clipboard. On top of that, it gathers financial data like loan histories and banking SMS messages.

This stolen data is not just used for blackmail, as it is often sold to cybercriminals. By preying on people already struggling financially, SpyLend puts nearly every part of their digital lives at risk.

A Samsung phone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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6 ways you can stay safe from SpyLoan apps

1) Avoid suspicious loan apps: Stick to apps from well-known banks, credit unions or lenders registered with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau or other regulatory bodies. 

2) Install strong antivirus software: Use strong antivirus protection on all your devices to detect and prevent malicious apps. This can also protect against phishing emails and ransomware scams. The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious apps is to have antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe. Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.

3) Download apps from reliable sources: It’s important to download apps only from trusted sources like the Google Play Store. You might say I am contradicting myself, but Play Store is still safer than other options out there. They have strict checks to prevent malware and other harmful software. However, even with the security measures provided by Google Play, downloading apps from the store does not guarantee 100% protection against malware or harmful software. Avoid downloading apps from unknown websites or unofficial stores, as they can pose a higher risk to your personal data and device. Never trust download links that you get through SMS.

4) Review app permissions carefully: If an app asks for unnecessary permissions, like access to your contacts, call logs or storage, do not install it. A legitimate loan app should only require essential permissions related to financial transactions.

5) Check reviews and red flags: Before installing any financial app, read user reviews carefully. If multiple people report harassment, blackmail or excessive permissions, avoid the app entirely.

6) Report and uninstall suspicious apps: If you encounter a SpyLoan app, immediately uninstall it and revoke its permissions. Report it to the Google Play Store, cybersecurity authorities and financial regulators to help prevent further victims. 

If you’ve shared sensitive information, consider changing passwords and securing your accounts. Consider using a password manager to generate and store complex passwords. Get more details about my best expert-reviewed Password Managers of 2025 here.

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Kurt’s key takeaway

The promise of quick and easy money can be tempting, especially during tough times, making it easy to fall for these scams. However, there are safer and more reliable ways to take loans. As a general rule, it is best to avoid borrowing money through online apps unless they are from well-known financial institutions. Google also needs to take responsibility for allowing SpyLoan apps on the Play Store, even when user reviews clearly indicate they are malicious.

Do you think Google is doing enough to crack down on predatory loan apps? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.

Ask Kurt a question or let us know what stories you’d like us to cover.

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Answers to the most-asked CyberGuy questions:

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